April 2
Anjula Acharia Bath joined Trinity Ventures as entrepreneur in residence.
eOne Music promoted Phil Thornton to vice president/GM of urban inspirational.
Brazilian banking giant Banco Bradesco partnered with Universal Music Group to create a new streaming music platform, Bradesco Music, exclusive to its credit card holders.
April 3
The Red Bulletin deputy editor (and former Billboard senior editor) Ann Donahue and TV editor Scott Zarzycki married in Los Angeles. Their 5-month-old son Cormac Zarzycki Donahue was in attendance.
Kendrick Lamar confirmed his engagement to high school sweetheart Whitney Alford.
Ukrainian-born billionaire Len Blavatnik, head of Access Industries and owner of Warner Music Group, purchased a five-bedroom and five-and-a-half bath duplex apartment for a reported $77.5 million. The property – at 834 Fifth Ave. in New York – was previously owned by New York Jets owner Woody Johnson.
Related
Founding Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer Robert Burns Jr., a member from 1966 to 1974 who played on “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama,” died in a car accident in Bartow County, Ga. He was 64.
April 5
Al Kohn, former big-band music arranger, music publishing executive and co-author of Kohn on Music Publishing, died of natural causes in Encino, Calif. He was 96.
April 6
ASCAP appointed Alice Kim executive vp/chief strategy and development officer.
Page Jeter joined the brand communications team at PMK*BNC, arriving from Rogers & Cowan, where she served as group manager.
UTA music head Rob Prinz joined ICM as a partner, bringing with him veteran concerts agent Nikki Wheeler.
Big Machine Label Group (BMLG) signed Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler to its artist roster. Tyler will release his debut country album later this year.
April 7
Brandon R. Frankel was promoted to vp marketing, branding and partnerships at The Windish Agency.
BMLG elevated Jake Basden to vp publicity and corporate communications.
The manuscript for Don McLean’s “American Pie” — a 16-page document including typed drafts of the song — sold at Christie’s auction house for $1.2 million. The sale marked the third-highest auction price for an American literary manuscript.
Stan Freberg, self-described “guerrilla satirist” whose comic career in advertising garnered him worldwide acclaim and inspired the career of “Weird Al” Yankovic, died of natural causes in Santa Monica. He was 88.
April 8
Eliah Seton was named president of Alternative Distribution Alliance.
April 9
BMLG vp finance Brad Kash exited the company to form 7th Wave Entertainment Group.